In the packaging industry, a common concern is the ability to quickly identify the source (e.g., the manufacturer) and contents of a packaged product. Typically, adhesive labels indicating the source and contents of the packaged product are adhered to the outside of the package (e.g., a container). The labels are provided with some written indicia and/or bar coding as to the source and the contents of the packaged product. Thus, the source and the contents of the packaged product can be ascertained without opening the package.
Unfortunately, adhesive labels on the outside of a package can detach over time especially after prolong exposure to environmental conditions. Environmental conditions such as excessive heat and/or moisture can result in the adhesive label delaminating from the exterior surface of the package. This results in a package having no indicia as to its source. Worse yet, with non-transparent packaging, there is no means of ascertaining the contents of the package without first opening the package.
Another concern of the packaging industry is fraud and counterfeiting, which results in the loss of billions of dollars annually. As such, one of the pressing issues is the security of products and transactions involving those products. In order to deter fraud and counterfeiting, a plethora of security devices have been implemented. An example of such security devices in widespread use are holograms, which have been incorporated into credit cards and other security documents (e.g., stock and bond certificates). Another example of security devices that has become popular, especially in retail, are radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.
However, holograms and RFID's as well as other security devices have a drawback in that these devices are readily identifiable (i.e., are visible) by the end-user under normal magnification. As a result, the security devices due to their visibility may be circumvented by those intent on committing fraud and/or counterfeiting. For example, a RFID can be easily removed once its presence has been identified by an end-user.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide packaging with a means of authentication that avoids the above-described problems associated with exterior labels typically used in current packaging technology. Likewise, there is a need in the art to provide a security device (i.e., a means of authentication) that is not readily identifiable and is not readily removable once it has been identified.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a solution for authenticating a package and/or its contents that does not require the use of exterior labels or opening of the package. Likewise, it also an object of the present invention to provide a security device that is not readily identifiable by an end-user and is not readily removable from the packaging even if its presence has been identified.